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- Mar 30, 2009
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I liked what I saw in Erie this year. Erie was pretty deep on defense, so he didn't get as much time on the ice as a lot of other draft eligible defensemen. When he did play, however, he stepped up and contributed on the score sheet. My comparison/projection for Sambrook is a right-handed version of Jordan Leopold. 20-30 points a year, strong on the breakout, and reliable in his own zone. I realize Detroit just drafted a bunch of defenders, but after another year or two in the 'O and some time in Grand Rapids I think he could be the ideal 3rd pairing defenseman with the ability to step onto the 2nd powerplay unit if necessary. Good value in the 5th round in my opinion.
I liked what I saw in Erie this year. Erie was pretty deep on defense, so he didn't get as much time on the ice as a lot of other draft eligible defensemen. When he did play, however, he stepped up and contributed on the score sheet. My comparison/projection for Sambrook is a right-handed version of Jordan Leopold. 20-30 points a year, strong on the breakout, and reliable in his own zone. I realize Detroit just drafted a bunch of defenders, but after another year or two in the 'O and some time in Grand Rapids I think he could be the ideal 3rd pairing defenseman with the ability to step onto the 2nd powerplay unit if necessary. Good value in the 5th round in my opinion.
Thanks for your assessment. I think that sounds pretty awesome. We have always struggled with developing right handed offensive d-men so if he can become a 3rd pairing guy who can play on the 2nd PP unit that is awesome value considering where he was drafted. I'd imagine he will get a bigger role in the O next year so we should get more data as he gets more PT.
“I think you look at the defensemen in the National Hockey League and it’s tough to play in that league if you can’t play in your own end,” Otters coach Chris Hartsburg told The Athletic. “And the guys that are one-dimensional players on the offensive side, generally, — they see their offensive time on power play — but for guys that play heavy minutes it’s important that they’re good in their own end.
“And certainly that’s (one) area of Jordan’s game that is there. He defends extremely well, competes hard in his battles, and for him to be able to do that at a young age is important and really establishes part of his game that is going to be there for however long he’s a pro.”
You’d certainly love some offense out of your young defensemen, though, particularly for a Red Wings team that’s not getting much from that group at the moment.
Hartsburg was complimentary of Sambrook’s 5-on-5 ability, too, particularly when it came to joining the rush and getting in on the “second wave of offense.” That’s a good sign. In Erie, Sambrook played against the other team’s top line, heading up the lead penalty-kill unit and getting time on the second power play.
“I think he’s capable of playing in the American league (next),” Hartsburg said. “Physically and maturity wise, I think he’s more than capable of handling that level of play. And I think really understanding what he’s going to be at the pro level, I think, is something that will help him as well. I think he knows the defensive side of things is going to have to be what he’s at, and I think he can bring that. I really do. … I think he has the ability to do some things with the puck, but I think as he projects long term I think he’s a guy that's going to be someone you rely on to be a guy that can play good defensively, and he will be able to chip in some offense as well.”
I sort of assume he is re-entering the draft at this point.
Would be weird if they don't sign him. Let a guy like Renouf walk and bring him in.
How often does that actually happen with CHLers though? Can only think of cases where the team decided to not sign a pick. NCAA is different as they're older by the time they need to be signed.and then go to Toledo? Or see Saarijarvi ride the bench again? If the Wings cleaned house a bit the roster spaces wouldn't be an issue, but I doubt that happens. If I'm Sambrook, I look to re-enter the draft just to get into a different development system.
How often does that actually happen with CHLers though? Can only think of cases where the team decided to not sign a pick. NCAA is different as they're older by the time they need to be signed.
There was an article a while back in which one of the beat writers suggested that there's a chance Sambrook may not be signed. I found it strange, but we already have too many decent D picks who need playing time in GR so maybe it's just a numbers game.
On a side note, this may be a reason to avoid going heavy on certain positions in one draft. If you find 2-3 solid picks playing the same position (especially D) in the same draft, you probably won't be able to give all of them a real chance. Much easier to give chances in GR if you have F's and D's turning pro every year.
Alan Quine, an Islanders Newcomer, Introduces Himself as a Playoff StandoutI remember there being speculation of that with Alan Quine
was certainly weird that he wasn't signed at least
Quine was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round of the 2011 draft. But after the Red Wings made no effort to sign him, Quine said, he hardly paid attention to the draft two years later, when the Islanders selected him in the sixth round.
How often does that actually happen with CHLers though? Can only think of cases where the team decided to not sign a pick. NCAA is different as they're older by the time they need to be signed.
There was an article a while back in which one of the beat writers suggested that there's a chance Sambrook may not be signed. I found it strange, but we already have too many decent D picks who need playing time in GR so maybe it's just a numbers game.
On a side note, this may be a reason to avoid going heavy on certain positions in one draft. If you find 2-3 solid picks playing the same position (especially D) in the same draft, you probably won't be able to give all of them a real chance. Much easier to give chances in GR if you have F's and D's turning pro every year.
It's the numbers game that I can see turning Sambrook off signing at all. I think the problem starts in Detroit where we have a bunch of mediocre vets taking spots, and a couple of younger guys (XO, Jensen) that Holland was also unwilling to part with. Eliminate just one of those guys at the start of last year, and Russo is probably in Detroit to start the year and Saarijarvi has a spot he can slide into in GR.
Going into next fall, GR has pretty much the same blueline still under contract, plus Cholowski making the jump, right? And I have to believe that whoever makes the team out of camp is just going to push another guy through waivers and back to GR. If you're Sambrook and you're looking at this mess, I think you have to question if it's a good place to go and try to find playing time. And with the rookie max deals in place, it's not like his first deal is going to break the bank anyway, so re-entering the draft from that standpoint probably wouldn't be a big deal.
This summer Detroit and GR need to cut bait with some of these guys they have under contract.
2018Which Draft would Sambrook be eligible for??
Is there no written articles on this subject?
There could be more connecting the dots to do for fans though. Was Backman held back or was he simply not good enough?it's pretty annoying that Holland still hasn't connected the dots on this stuff and how there's only so much ice time to go around
I remember going on 4 years ago at this point being upset during the offseason that the Wings were slated to have an overloaded NHL roster and then 5 legit prospects and a couple AHL vets down in Grand Rapids
i'd have hoped he'd have learned a lesson there or something but nope fast forward to this year and you see the same sort of thing happening to Saarijarvi as happened to Backman way back when(minus the whole getting fed up with being in a bad situation and going back home to try and get more ice time and getting traded thing)
There could be more connecting the dots to do for fans though. Was Backman held back or was he simply not good enough?
Sambrook's stats this year are underwhelming. I certainly want us to sign him but with extra draft picks and an increased focus on acquiring D there are only so many spots to go. Maybe Sambrook is preferable to some career AHLers, but where is he on the prospect ranking?
- Cholowski
-Hronek
-Hicketts
-Lindstrom
-Saarijarvi
-Holway
-Sulak
-Kotkansalo/Setkov?
-Sambrook?
Add in the '18 draft and we're likely to get some d-men in the top 40, probably one in the top 10.
Sooner or later you need to make tough decisions. This could be one. More will come.
the whole point of grand rapids is to develop future DRW
if the idea is to win calder cups then get a new farm team and abandon GR
5 of the 6 dmen spots down there should be reserved for guys drafted by the DRW starting from draft position/potential
silly to lose a guy or not let a guy develop because we want to help nobodies win nothing
This is an extremely poor way of looking at your farm team.
I am glad that isn't the way any organization treats the AHL.
They are not merely the NHL teams play thing, even if you want them to be. Not only that but it wouldn't be very good for their development to roll with your plan. They would get beat on, play less games, play in less meaningful situations and wouldn't have earned the knowledge and process of improving. The Wings certainly control certain aspects of the Griffins, but they don't treat it in a ho-hum let's do whatever we want fashion and I am happy with that.
why would any of that be true?
its a development league for the NHL, not a professional beer league
I am not suggesting you send 18 year old there at all, but you cant have 85% of the roster spots taken up by guys who will never sniff the NHL and who were never going to in the first place